Our position on Okada riders, by Fashola

PROPONENTS of unregulated commercial motorcycle operations in Lagos State should visit hospitals and emergency centres to see the havoc wreaked by their activities, Governor Babatunde Fashola has said.

Fashola, in an interactive session on Law and Order with members of the Metropolitan Club in Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, said the hospitals and emergency wards are filled with “those who have lost limbs, arms, and those who have lost children or those who have become orphans by the recklessness of the okada riders”.

He said a lot depended on the citizenry in ensuring an orderly society, saying, everyone must build a consensus that the idea behind the new traffic law is one that involves the quality of life of everyone, the protection of the assets of every resident of Lagos and their businesses.

Tracing the various well organised public transport systems that had existed in the past like the L.M.T.S and L.S.T.C, the governor said it should agitate the minds of citizens and members of the Club how the state arrived at its present state in terms of the unbridled operation of commercial motorcyclists.

According to him, in less than two decades, Okada has gained so much prominence that it has become a phenomenon which should not have been allowed in the first place. He stressed that the elite are culpable as many encouraged their workers and employees to use Okada to run errands.

“The only way to stop the business from flourishing is by not patronising them. It is a business that if the income from it dwindles, the business proposition of those in it will change,” he said.

Conducting an overview of various facets of life in the state, Fashola explained that he had to lead by example by shunning the use of siren to escape from the traffic, adding that as a governor he has always fought against attempts by Very Important Personalities (VIP) to close roads and people must be ready to fight against behaviours and conducts hazardous to healthy and secure existence.

The Governor said there should be concerted effort by all to ensure that Nigeria does not reach the notorious status of Bangkok in terms of traffic because Bangkok city according to him loses about one million dollars every year to traffic congestion.

Urging business executives and corporate leaders to have a rethink on the types of ventures to support, Fashola said tricycles known as Keke Marwa represents the sign of India’s age of poverty, which the country is striving hard to move away from as it is now busy manufacturing TATA buses and wondered why Nigerians are now embracing it wholeheartedly.

He added that the same applies to motorcycles which originated from China, saying the Chinese are currently making fast trains for their usage while Nigerians are helping their economy by patronising their Okadas.

He noted that those breaking the law with impunity are aliens with no respect for rules and regulations.

According to him, over 100 people from Niger Republic have been sent out of the state in the last 24 hours.

Fashola, who spoke on the topic: ‘Freedom From Fear,’ explained that the presence or absence of law and order in any society is what determines whether the people will live in fear or without it.

He added that while the Constitution guarantees many rights, there is no right classified as right to be free from fear in the Constitution because freedom from fear seems to have been the forgotten freedom.

19 thoughts on “Our position on Okada riders, by Fashola”

You have a clear conscience. Do not persevere. Your references to the countries hither to using Keke Napep and the Motor Cycles are incontrovertible. More worrisome is also the fact that majority of Okada operators are indeed Citizens of countries other then Nigeria. Security wise, this should have attracted a lot of our concern. Why must we still be in the culture of using “Okirika.” Why must Nigeria continually be a ready market for thrown away junks. We have talents and the natural resources to start designing into modernity.

I totally agree with Iro, please keep up the good work Mr Fashola, even though I sympathize with the Okada operators for income lost, but any income that impedes on the right of others to live a life devoid of disorder is unconstitutional. Like Fashola said a majority of the blame for the existence of this social menace should be at the doorstep of the so called elites, ban Okada and let those Okada riders find better ways of earning income and send those ones among them who are illegal foreigners out of Lagos.

Fashola means well. I dread Okadas, haven seen what calamities they can cause. Yet, I have had no option but to use them in some circumstances. We need to have alternatives to Okada. Maybe we should build an industry around manufacturing tricycles, and eventually ban their import. I wonder why we cannot manufacture small cars in the 650 to 1000 cc range. Tata has a big market for such vehicles here, including the Tata Nano, and may want to establish manufacturing (not assembly) plants in Nigeria. We cannot make progress unless we are ready to change the status quo ante. This is an opportunity not only to save lives and limbs, but to improve the standard of living through local manufacturing.

To be frank with Okada had really damage Nigeria economy and people who driving Okada taught its business when you get to Gbobi hospital in Yaba you will pity for them, the Lagos road was not build to suit Okada riders but in Lagos you will see okada riders strangle with motorist and you will wondered if such people value their life. I think Mr. Fashola had really gave some instance, the point i am now if for Fashola to improve in the Lagos state security because this people may result into men of underword, and let every Lagosian be vigilante from our house where we live so we can strengthening the Lagos state security

This is the time for all people that values a sane and an organized environment to stand by Fashola in his bid to riddle our community of the aokada menance. like he rightly said this menance should not have been allowed in the first instance. now that it has developed into a cancerous growth, it must be excised without further delay for the overall benefits of the larger society. This is not the time to play politics with this issue. Fashola must remain resolute. Our lives and well being are more important than Okada

everyone has made a point.pls help me tell our vc in aaua dat keke marwa is not the best 4 campus shuttle.if the state gov can privide brt size busses 4 secondary schools in the state how much more the universty.

you do well our reliable leader that is mr Fasola ride on God will back you up you will not fail in Jesus name this country need iron hand and need to educate ourself God bless Lagos state and Nigeria amen

Any sane man in his right senses will applaud this man Fashola. I urge him not to relent. He will surely face challenges as those benefiting from a system will not crave in easily. He should be firm and focus. God bless fashola, God bless Lagos state, God bless nigeria

it is very shameful that a group of people can take law into their hand and destroyed government properties. in advance societies no body use motor cycles as a means of transportation. In canada all municipal government / local government run an effective bus system that arrive on schedule. This why am appaulled to see a state government relinqushes his role and be performing the roles espected of a local chairman and the people go crazy. In advance society the local government provides services such as ambulance services, fire fighter equipments, social welfare, registration of all businesses, provision of subway systems that run on schedules,
To those of have lost wife, chidren or okada rider is also the father of children/ husband of women should clamour for a ban. Most of those who ride okada should go back to their respective state and practice agriculture. Anybody caught damaging government properties should be sent to jail for 10 years. All those claiming to be okada state or national leaders should be prosecuted as mafia. they should be made to pay for damaged government properties. The federal government should handover the roads construction to the state governments, establishment of state police and community policing is an effective tools in combacting this new wave of crime as their phone would have been tapped. To those who want a progressive nigeria should advocate for change not like the one we pay lip services to.The nigeria police should stand up and work for nigeria because nobody is above the law in advance societies. The judiary should wake up and help restructured nigeria to be a good place it was design to be. how i wish i can steal the city of Toronto for nigerians to see what a city looks like.

Thank you my gov Fash. Initially, we know that there will be violent resistance to this laudable change, but please do not look back, Forward ever, backward never. Let okada be a history on these restricted roads and highways. God bless Lagos State. Eko oni baje oooooooo.

Our amiable governor Babatunde Fashola SAN deserves the support of all on the new Traffic Law. The law,, though is more than the issue of restricting the operation of Okada riders, the new rules of engagement of okada riders will bring sanity into the chaotic Lagos traffic situation. Hitherto, the commercial riders operated without regard to traffic regulations and road signs and have on the account of their recklessness caused terrible accidents.Giving their mode of operation a total ban would have been more desirable. One would therefore have expected the operators to accept the restriction in good faith and be law abiding rather constituting themselves into public nuisance by their wanton destruction of public properties as recently done in the name of protest. I want to appeal to them to see the situation as their own sacrifice towards a more orderly, peaceful and sane society we all crave for. God bless Nigeria. Eko o ni baje o !

Essential services follow the principle of demand and supply.Government should accept the responsibility for putting an urban mass transit system in place instead of victimizing citizens who do this at the risk of their lives.

Whenever I had the opportunity to visit other countries, I wonder how our so call rulers cannot make things happen. Even, in Ireland, things are organized, buses are provided for citizens and arrive at schedule. Let us support Governor Fashola and let the Federal Government handover the responsibility of roads, police and other functions meant for the State Government; and the State Government in turn should do the same. About policing, how come that someone from Ekiti State should go to Adamawa to police the unknown community. In U S A, there are Federal, State, County and town/village police. This will work here in Nigeria if we want it to work. Crimes will be become minimized.

i have said it many times that fashola is number one governor in nigeria, because he is fond of bringing world class standard in lagos, okada activities in lagos is terrible, am ready to trek but it is matter of time everything will come to normal, the okada riders should go and find work, they can go to their villages and do farming, it will benefit them and the country as a whole, may God bless governor fashola for the wonderful jobs he is doing in lagos

Honestly if I have my way, I will ban the opeartion of the okadas outrightly. Oga gov pls note that majority of lagosians are with u and of course i know very well that you are not someone that could be intimidated or harrased out of a good and sound decision.

my able gov fasola God will be with you,you are a good leader we need u to sanitise nigeria do not relent what their saying be focus i like ur talk about chinese people they sell their product to nigeria without using it create damage to our people